Star Crossed
by Enigmatic Wayfarer
Summary: Small stories with no connection to one another, about romance between Draco and Hermione. If you like small love fics, this is the fic for you...
1. Cold as Ice

Cold as Ice.  
  
Draco looked down at the still girl in his arms. Her face was pale blue and she was frozen, he had tried rubbing her arms to start the circulation again but all his attempts were fruitless.  
  
Draco lifted one arm from her waist, he choked back a sob and brushed his hand over her eyes to close them. He pulled away in fear of hurting her fragile body and he placed his arm back around her waist and held her close to him. Draco cried out and looked up to the stars, they had seemed so beautiful and calming just a few minutes ago but now they were dark and threatening.  
  
He sifted his weight from his knees for a moment before sitting back on them again. There was a soft cackle from behind Draco. He whipped his head around and saw the man it issued from, Lucius came out of the darkness twirling his wand carelessly in his hand. He spoke softly. "You fool."  
  
"For what!?" Draco roared full of hatred and loathing. He pulled Hermione's lifeless body up with him as he stood up, he held her tightly to his chest.  
  
"You fell in love with the wrong girl, my son." Lucius came into the clearing where Draco stood. "I had to stop you from doing something you'll regret later on in life."  
  
"Killing her! You call murdering the only person who loved me stopping me from doing something I'll regret later in life. The only thing I regret is having you as my damn father.' Draco hissed with unimaginable venom. "You only ensured your death by killing her."  
  
"She's not dead yet. But after what you just said she will be soon." Lucius raised his wand but before he could utter any form of curse he was knocked backwards by an invisible force. His body whacked into a tree trunk winding him. He sat up and looked at his son, stunned.  
  
"That's right bastard, I can do wandless magic." Draco was shouting every word as if it was obvious. He stared at his father with undying fury. "Tell me what you mean, you say she's not dead yet she isn't breathing and she is cold as ice. Enlighten me why you believe she isn't dead yet."  
  
"She. I put a curse on her that wraps the body in a prison of rock hard ice, you can't see or feel it but its there." Lucius stumbled to his feet leaning against the tree for support. "Your precious lover cast an enchantment over herself. so kind of protection, therefore she can still breath enough air to barely keep her alive- but unfortunately its enough."  
  
Draco knelt down next to Hermione and hovered one of his hands just above her blue lips. "I can't feel the air."  
  
Draco looked up to where his father stood gaining strength. He said in utter contempt "You lie."  
  
"No, you're just a fool." The old wizard said standing tall. "Like I said, she is breathing only what is necessary- obviously that is very little. A point I will rectify now." Lucius pulled out his wand and pointed it at Hermione.  
  
Draco shielded her body with his own and already had his wand out at Lucius. "If there is one thing that Death Eaters lack on. it's brains."  
  
Draco shouted out a death curse which hit his father right in the chest, sending him reeling backwards into the same tree as the last time. Draco held Hermione to him as the repercussion of the powerful killing curse flowed over them.  
  
Silence. Not even rustles in the trees around them, just silence. Draco pulled his head from where it had been resting and glanced around tensely.  
  
The scene looked the same. The trees that surrounded the clearing were still intact, the lake near him was still full. Nothing was different, nothing but Lucius.  
  
Glancing at where his body should have lay was a fire. It wasn't burning anything, it was just hovering above the ground it's flames dancing harmlessly. Draco was not shocked or frightened by this, he had seen it happen many times when the curse was used.  
  
Once he was sure nothing was different or dangerous, Draco turned his attention to Hermione. Her cold, stiff body still lay in his arms but there was no sign of her moving. Draco let out a sob of despair and his tears fell onto Hermione's pale cheeks.  
  
"Please Hermione. I don't know what to do. Help me, I can't- I don't know." Draco cried caressing her cheek softly. "You have the brains not me."  
  
Believe. It was like a whisper of wind passing through his mind. Draco froze. He didn't know what had just happened but he wanted desperately for it to happen again. Believe you can.  
  
The whisper was of a female, it stirred in his mind. "Tell me please."  
  
Use it.the warmth of your love. Draco's eyes widened as he heard her voice again. Only then did he realise whom was speaking to him. Hermione.  
  
Draco searched Hermione's face but there was still no sign of life. He hugged her body to him tighter but he knew his efforts were fruitless. He knew that he could not bring her back and maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on his grieving self.  
  
Draco, don't give up.  
  
Draco looked blindly up at the stars and wished he could have at least said goodbye to her, give her a final kiss before she was taken away from him.  
  
Draco.  
  
Draco started thinking about the first date they had, Draco took her into the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts even though they had already graduated. They had walked for about an hour when they first came to their secret clearing, a gap in the thick of trees, the place where they were when Lucius came and killed Hermione.  
  
Draco wept as he remembered how nervous he was when he first told Hermione he loved her, he thought that she wouldn't return the feelings or that she would get angry with him. But even as the words rolled off his tongue, her eyes had filled with tears and she flung her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "I love you so much, Draco."  
  
Draco held onto Hermione's cold body and kissed her frozen lips with all the love he ever felt. He pulled away slightly to look at her face when she coughed.  
  
Draco gasped and pulled her to him as she coughed again, stronger this time. Draco looked at her face as her eyes opened into slits.  
  
"Hermione! Oh, Hermione I thought I lost you, my love." Draco sobbed uncontrollably into her hair. "I love you more than my life, I don't know what I would do without you."  
  
"Draco. you did it. You saved me." Hermione croaked lifting a weak hand up to touch Draco's cheek. "Thank-you."  
  
Hermione's hand fell away from his cheek and her eyes closed again, but Draco knew she wasn't dead just exhausted and, with that reassurance he lifted her body and carried her over to where they had left his broom. He flew over the trees to the light of the Castle beyond the forest, he held Hermione's body tight to him as they landed on the soft grass a few meters from the great oak doors.  
  
Draco carried Hermione into the Entrance Hall and without hesitating headed up the staircase to the Hospital Wing, he passed a few startled students on the way but paid them no heed. He was filled with a determination that could not be stopped.  
  
Madam Pomfrey was quite startled when the doors to the Hospital Wing flew open and there stood Draco with Hermione still in his arms.  
  
"Help her."  
  
`*`  
  
Draco sat by Hermione's bed all night holding her hand with both of his own, muttering soft words of love to her unconscious body somehow knowing she could hear every word he said.  
  
That morning he woke with a start, quite appalled with himself that he fell asleep. But as he looked at Hermione, who was still sleeping comfortably he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Mister Malfoy, what a surprise you gave us here. Poppy came straight to my office this morning informing me that two people were in the Wing, who didn't attend Hogwarts." Dumbledore said quietly, trying not to wake Hermione. He sat in the seat next to Draco and looked at Hermione. Then he said gently, "Tell me what happened and why you ended up here."  
  
Draco told him of their run-in with his father and of what happened to Hermione. He told Dumbledore of why they were in Hogwarts grounds in the first place and to Draco's amazement, Dumbledore already knew. He said quite simply, "I have connections in the forest, Mister Malfoy."  
  
After saying that Hermione and Draco were permitted to stay at Hogwarts until she recovered, Dumbledore left the Wing and Draco alone with Hermione.  
  
While Draco was still looking at the door after Dumbledore left, he felt a hand caress his cheek. Draco smiled as he turned his head to look at Hermione.  
  
"You're awake." Draco whispered reaching up and grasping Hermione's hand. "I. marry me?"  
  
This question took them both by surprise, Draco had no idea he was planning on asking her and neither did Hermione. But neither of them regretted him saying it. Hermione stared into his eyes.  
  
"You mean it?" She asked nervously.  
  
Draco nodded. "Yes, I love you and I know that I can't live without you in my life. I want to marry you."  
  
"Draco, ever since I fell in love with you I have dreamt about marry you. Yes I will, of course I will!" Hermione's eyes filled with tears as Draco swept her into his arms.  
  
"I love you Hermione." 


	2. Blind, but not to the World

This chapter is a little longer than the last, I hope you appreciate it. (By the way, I am not blind so if I get any details wrong, don't flame me over it.)  
  
Blind, but not to the World.  
  
Hermione lay on the floor, frozen yet unaware. Her eyes were open and unseeing, but she didn't know. Hermione thought she was asleep because she couldn't see anything.  
  
The truth would destroy her.  
  
She could hear things and comprehend the sounds, but she couldn't see. Blindly, she wondered what was happening around her. She could hear a voice calling her, talking to her softly but she couldn't see who it was. Her brown eyes looked around frantically, not taking in any of her surroundings.  
  
Hermione stood up cautiously and carefully, still wondering why she couldn't see yet she was awake. Suddenly someone was right behind her, the voice whispered in her ear. "Come with me, Hermione. All will be explained when we reach safety."  
  
The breath on her ear caused Hermione to shiver, then a hand took hers and led her away from the curious surroundings.  
  
Hermione heard a door shut behind her but she was unsure if she was still indoors or outdoors. Quite unexpectedly there was a jerk behind her navel and she felt her feet lift off the hard ground to land again on soft carpet.  
  
Hermione was able to pick where she was by the smell of the room around her. The familiar smell of the Burrow. Hermione smiled and her eyes flooded with tears that she couldn't feel. "Ron? Molly? Anyone?"  
  
There was the sound of soft footfalls behind her before someone wrapped their arms around Hermione. "Its alright Hermione. We're all here."  
  
"Harry?! Oh what's going on, why can't I see, why-" Hermione was stopped by a finger on her lips. The person who hugged her led Hermione to a couch and sat down with her.  
  
"Shh, Hermione what can you remember of the fight?" Molly's voice came from in front of Hermione. Hermione choked back a sob.  
  
"When the Death Eaters arrived, I was ready for them. I could see then, why can't I now?" Hermione was so disconcerted that she couldn't think probably. "OK, I remember cursing some DE's before one of them cursed me with." Hermione strained her mind to remember. Suddenly her hands flew up to her mouth and she whispered almost inaudibly. " The Blinding curse!"  
  
"Hermione, do you know the full implications of that curse don't you?" Hermione heard Molly ask her, but she was still in shock of her own words.  
  
"It means I'm permanently blind." Hermione whispered softly. "That curse kills the nerves in the eye, including the optic nerve causing blindness."  
  
Harry's arms tightened around her and Hermione rested her head against him. "Poor thing." Came out of someone's mouth and immediately Hermione turned irate.  
  
"I want to make one thing clear to you all. I don't want pity, if I hear anyone else utter anything along the lines of what Molly just said you'd better pray I don't recognise your voice." Hermione then slumped back against Harry and felt the tears on her cheeks but not her eyes.  
  
"What will I do? I can't do. anything." Hermione wept sadly. "I. I will be- "  
  
"The same person you have always been. Just more cautious, but I feel that something. something about you will change, you will pick up things that we cannot." Molly said trying to calm Hermione done. It worked reasonably well, and soon Hermione drifted into a light sleep and the others could talk without upsetting Hermione.  
  
Harry had moved away so Hermione could sleep comfortably and now he sat in a chair with Ginny on his lap. Ron stood looking confused, Ginny was crying silently into a grim looking Harry's shoulder and Molly was sadly making tea. Arthur sat in his chair with a perplexed look and for once Fred and George weren't smiling.  
  
"Were you telling the truth, mum?" George asked Molly after a time of silence. "Will she actually 'see' things that we can't?"  
  
Molly placed a tray of cups and a teapot on the coffee table. She smiled slightly and said, "Yes, she will be able to penetrate people's feelings and perceive things about people that no one else can."  
  
***  
  
It was one year after Hermione's unfortunate casualty, when Hermione was walking out of the Ministry after work when she bumped into someone.  
  
"Oh sorry!" Hermione exclaimed, she could sense the person's anger so she added. "I'm blind, I didn't actually see you. You were very quiet though, usually I can tell when someone's around."  
  
"Understandable." Came a stiff reply. "Excuse me."  
  
Hermione stood where she was as the person walked past her. She waited until she heard the door open then close behind the stranger before letting out a sigh.  
  
She knew who the person was, even though she couldn't see him. Hermione quickly stuck out her right arm and the Knight Bus arrived with a bang. Stan Shunpike, the conductor helped Hermione onto the bus like he always did, jabbering on about the latest news in the Daily Prophet.  
  
". says dat they finally have all the Death Ea'ers behin' bars an'-"  
  
"Stan, who said this?" Hermione interrupted him. Stan laughed at bit exasperatedly.  
  
"'erminee, I tol' you tha' you neve' lis'en to me." Hermione could tell that he wasn't seriously annoyed with her. "The 'ead of the Depar'ment of Law and Securitee, Draco Malfoy."  
  
Hermione inhaled sharply. He was the one she had bumped into before just outside the Ministry. "I never knew he was working at the Ministry.  
  
"'erminee, don' take dis the wrong way, bu' you're blind. You don' know 'eaps of the people you work wit." Stan said carefully. Hermione just sighed and nodded.  
  
"I know."  
  
Soon Stan helped Hermione out of the Knight Bus and up to her front door just like he always did. "Thanks, Stan."  
  
"See you tomorrow, Herminee."  
  
Hermione opened the door of her house and went in. She walked over to her table and set down her things. She walked slowly into her lounge room, subconsciously remembering where everything was. She reached her kitchen and smiled.  
  
"Hello Ginny." Hermione laughed as she felt Ginny's amazement.  
  
"I still seriously think you can see. You always know when someone's there." Ginny helped Hermione into a chair. "Mum was right, you have this freaky 'sixth sense' or in your case, fifth."  
  
"Even after all this time you still find it hard to believe?" Hermione's smile broadened as she felt Ginny's happiness.  
  
"Yes. I think you are the coolest being on this planet, you are smart, beautiful and blind- but that's not even a disadvantage for you! You have something even better to replace visual perceiving. ability to know when people are around and you know what people are feeling. Awesome!" Ginny ranted on about Hermione's special sense until Hermione stopped her by saying softly.  
  
"I bumped into someone today."  
  
Ginny stopped mid-sentence, Hermione could feel her uncertainty. "He was so quiet I didn't know he was there, and I walked straight into him."  
  
"But-" Ginny tried to find something to say that wouldn't hurt Hermione and Hermione knew that. Ginny ended up asking the question that Hermione didn't want to answer. "Who was it?"  
  
Hermione took a deep breath before saying, "The Head of the Department of Law and Security."  
  
Hermione felt Ginny's fear and dubious feelings. "But that's Draco Mal-"  
  
She stopped herself short. Ginny knew what his name meant, as it was his father that blinded Hermione and for that Hermione blamed the whole Malfoy family. "What did he say?"  
  
"Too little. I think he blames me for his fathers death as much as I blame him for my handicap." Ginny was shocked, Hermione had never spoken of her hatred for the Malfoy's so forwardly. Hermione knew what Ginny was thinking so she added. "There's no point in hiding my feelings on this matter. You all know how I feel, like I know how you feel."  
  
"Did he say sorry?"  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For bumping into you, he can see, you can't. It was his fault for bumping into you, not vice versa." Ginny flared with hatred. Hermione just shook her head.  
  
"He is a Malfoy, Gin. He probably doesn't know how to say sorry." Hermione laughed bitterly and decided to change the subject. "How's Harry?"  
  
"He's fine, and." Ginny glowed feeling sheepish. Hermione picked up on this and was quite curious to hear what Ginny was so shy about. "We are. having a child."  
  
Hermione sat there, paralyzed as she realised that she would never get to see the baby. She felt tears on her cheeks. She felt Ginny's sadness and she quickly said with fake happiness. "Ginny! Oh, that's wonderful. I am so, so happy for you both."  
  
But Ginny's sadness didn't fade. "We. we wanted you to be godmother, but I understand if you can't-"  
  
Hermione stopped her short. "Ginny, I would be honored beyond explanation to be your child's godmother."  
  
Ginny's sadness turned to relief and happiness as she embraced her blind friend. "Thank-you, Hermione. We wanted you to be the first to know but Harry thought that you might not want to be godmother because you can't-"  
  
Hermione hushed the girl by saying softly. "I will see the baby in a different way, that's all."  
  
Ginny smiled and Hermione could feel her happiness grow. "I need to go tell Harry, see you soon."  
  
***  
  
Hermione walked into the Ministry with her hand grazing the wall so that she could stay on course. She passed an entrance to a corridor then stopped in front of the lifts. She could tell Rosy was waiting for her like usual.  
  
"Morning Hermione. How are you today?" Rosy stepped up to grasp Hermione's elbow and lead her into an opening lift. Most people around them knew Hermione so they let them pass without a fuss. But there was an impatient fool in the crowd who walked straight up behind Hermione and nearly knocked her to the ground when he pushed passed her.  
  
Hermione hadn't been able to sense him being there because there were so many people around her. But now she could tell who this person was because everyone else around her grew scared and silent save one, he just felt impatient at the hold up. He was about to demand why nobody else was entering the lift when a young woman carefully entered with a furious look on her face.  
  
Hermione walked straight up to the man and said softly in a voice full of malice. "Malfoy, you'd better watch out. If you walk in to me a third time I will hunt you down and I will curse you like your father cursed me. Then you would know how it feels to be a blind person getting pushed around by insensitive jerks."  
  
The lift filled with people and Rosy came to hold Hermione's elbow again. Everyone was silent and apprehensive after Hermione's reaction to Draco; they were all wondering if she would do anything to him while the lift was going down.  
  
Draco's face remained expressionless, but his mind was racing. He was furious with Hermione for humiliating him. He wasn't aware of Hermione's ability to understand what people were feeling until she said to him quietly, "Don't get so angry. I can hardly tell where Rosy is anymore because of your fuming feelings."  
  
Draco was puzzled and Hermione knew it, but she didn't explain to him. She just stood in silence waiting for Rosy to lead her out of the lift.  
  
When the lift reached the right level Rosy walked Hermione out to the front of the lift and watched her walk carefully along the corridor, her hand on the wall again.  
  
Rosy turned to see Draco staring at Hermione's retreating figure with a curious look on his face. Rosy being Rosy explained to him. "She was blinded last year in the war by a Death Eater, and the curse gave her an extra sense in replace of sight. She can understand people's emotions, she can 'hear' or 'see' them or something like that. I've never been completely sure which."  
  
Hermione's day went by slowly and very uneventfully. As she was leaving she was extra careful because she didn't want to walk into another person. As she walked out to the road she was about to hold out her right arm when someone said behind her.  
  
"I heard that you could sense when people were around, why don't you ever know when I'm around?" Hermione immediately recognised him, she rounded on Draco viciously. She could feel his amusement at her anger and that just made her even more furious.  
  
"Maybe you Death Eaters know how to hide your emotions from people like me." Hermione said. She felt his amusement turn to vexation. Ha! She hit a nerve.  
  
"No."  
  
"No? What, you aren't that smart?" Hermione teased, happy at the fury she was causing.  
  
"No for two reason's. One; there aren't any other people like you, you should know that. And two; I'm not a Death Eater." Draco said fiercely. Hermione just laughed.  
  
"Oh yeah, and I'm not blind." Hermione spat wondering if she was glaring at him or not. Then she stopped and thought. "What do you mean, there's no one else like me? Heaps of people have been cursed with the same curse I have."  
  
"True, but none of them have had the same after effects as you have. They're all just blind." Draco explained, then he added. "Never would have guessed that I would be telling Miss Know-it-all something."  
  
Hermione suddenly punched him in the jaw, she had been trying to guess where he was standing ever since the conversation started and finally she had had enough and hoped that her guess was right. It was.  
  
"Bloody hell! How did you know where I was? You're blind!" Draco hissed. Hermione could tell that she hadn't done much damage physically, but now he was nervous about what else she could do.  
  
"I guessed."  
  
"Damn good guess, I must say." Draco said working his jaw. Hermione smiled honestly at him, though she couldn't see him she knew where he was now that she had punched him. Ironically, her punching him broke some of the tension between them instead of building it higher.  
  
"You're really not a Death Eater?" Hermione said suddenly, she felt Draco's suspicion. "I just want to know, is all."  
  
After a moments hesitation Draco said, "No, never have been."  
  
Hermione strained her 'ability' to find if he was lying but she couldn't find any proof that he was. "Well, lets start over then."  
  
Hermione held out her hand now uncertain of where he was. "My name is Hermione Granger."  
  
Draco took her hand and shook it. "Draco Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you Hermione."  
  
***  
  
Please tell me what you think. I know that wasn't really a romance but at least it was a beginning for them, either you can let your imaginations run wild and choose how it goes for yourself. or you can review it and tell me to write a continue for that chapter. It's up to you. 


	3. Only Dinner

This fic slightly longer than the last two, so I hope you like it. And when you finish remember to review please.  
  
Only dinner.  
  
"Do you, Draco Isaac Malfoy, take Elizabeth Jude Smith to be your lawfully wedded wife, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?"  
  
Draco stood rigid and silent, but his heart was pounding and his mind was racing. He knew he couldn't go through with it. He couldn't marry Lizzy because he didn't love her enough. He loved another, but the only flaw was that she didn't love him.  
  
Lizzy was an attractive woman, but she was nothing compared to his true love. She was beautiful in the body as well as in the mind and had the grace of a Goddess. He couldn't betray his heart.  
  
"Sir? Mister Malfoy?" Draco snapped out of his trance as he heard the priest speak to him. "Are you quite alright?"  
  
"Ah." Draco knew that what he was about to say would break Lizzy's heart, but it would break his own heart if he didn't. "I- I can't do it."  
  
Draco turned to Lizzy and took both of her hands in his and stared into her now glistening eyes. He whispered very softly, only just audible by Lizzy. "I do love you but it wouldn't be fair to you if we married, because I love another."  
  
But to Draco's utter shock Lizzy just smiled and whispered back. "I love you too, but not enough. I hope she will make you very happy."  
  
"She does not love me."  
  
"Then I hope that you use that charm I know you have to persuade her to love you." Draco smiled and kissed her. They embraced and after a moments pause did they realise that every one was staring at them in shock and confusion.  
  
"Uh, I didn't say 'you may kiss the bride' yet." The priest said uncertainly. Draco and Lizzy turned to face the crowd of people around them.  
  
"The wedding is off. We apologize for this rude change of plans, but we wish you a good day and help yourself to as much food as you like." Draco and Lizzy walked down the isle and were about to leave the church when Lizzy stopped and said to every one.  
  
"I hope the gifts were returnable, if not. keep them!"  
  
***  
  
Hermione sat in her quaint little bookstore waiting. The place didn't really get many customers until after lunch, then they flooded in. Jessie didn't come to work until 1:00, so Hermione usually just sat and studied alone before then, because only about half a dozen people ever came in before lunch.  
  
Hermione was reading a book titled 'Transfiguration for University students', when the door of the shop opened and in walked a young man. He looked around the shop from where he was, before turning to Hermione.  
  
"Isn't this supposed to be a restaurant?" Hermione smiled and stood up she walked over to the man and opened the door.  
  
"No, you went down the wrong ally way. The restaurant you're looking for is the same number as this, just a different ally." Hermione said pointing down the path.  
  
"Oh, well thank-you madam." The young man said and stepped out of the store and disappearing from sight.  
  
Hermione sighed ruefully and went to sit down again. She picked up her book again and started reading. A few minutes later she heard the door open again. This time Hermione didn't bother looking up, if they wanted help they could ask for it.  
  
She heard the person walk slowly up to her. She picked up on the scent that emanated from them; she knew it and she knew the person. But knowing whom the person was made her want to hide.  
  
"Can I help you?" Hermione asked, putting on a false smile and slowly looking up at him. Her breath caught in her throat, his platinum blonde hair sat wildly on his head, and a lock fell across his face.  
  
"Hello Hermione. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Draco asked pleasantly.  
  
"It's been a week, Draco."  
  
"Too long." Draco said, Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"You."  
  
"We've been through this."  
  
"I don't care, it doesn't change my mind." Draco stated simply. Hermione looked away from his intent gaze and said softly,  
  
"You're engaged too."  
  
"No, the wedding was today but-"  
  
"Married then! That makes it worse."  
  
"- I didn't go through with it."  
  
"So? You-. huh?"  
  
Hermione fell silent and sat staring out the window, not sure if she wanted him to stay or go. Draco stood and watched her. He had started coming by the store all the time, just to 'talk' with Hermione, after time he told her that he loved her and she rejected him. She had said that she couldn't think of anything worse than him backing out of the wedding.  
  
To her amazement, he didn't stop coming around to the shop just because she said no, in fact he came around even more often. The week before she had told him that he couldn't come around again, because he was to be married that week. She had thought that it had worked and she scolded herself for not telling him sooner.  
  
But, like always, he amazed her. Not only by showing up, but also by telling her that he wasn't getting married.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"You know what."  
  
"Yes, and you know the answer. So I'm ready to answer a question you don't know the answer to." Draco said. Hermione glared at him and looked down at where she left her book, only to find it gone. She looked up to see Draco flipping through the pages.  
  
"Good book?"  
  
"No. Now give it back."  
  
"OK, if-"  
  
The door to the shop opened and Jessie walked through it with a book in her hand. She glanced at Hermione and Draco and looked back down at the book. "Hey Hermione."  
  
"How are you going, Jessie?"  
  
"Peachy Keen. Hey Draco, still trying?"  
  
"I'm a Malfoy."  
  
"True. See ya."  
  
With that she walked into the back room and closed the door behind her. Hermione turned back to Draco who hadn't looked away from her. "If.?"  
  
"If you go to dinner with me."  
  
"Jeez Draco, we've been through this."  
  
"I know, but you really want your book back."  
  
"No I don't want it back but I have to have it back or I won't be able to pass my Transfig exam, and then I wouldn't get to be a teacher. That wouldn't make me happy, and you want me to be happy, don't you?"  
  
"What makes you think you'll never get it back?"  
  
"I won't, because you won't give it back unless-"  
  
"Hermione, its only dinner."  
  
"Yeah, but-"  
  
"Hermione, only dinner?"  
  
Hermione sighed in resignation. "Fine. One dinner."  
  
"Hey, who knows. maybe you will change your mind about me."  
  
***  
  
The waiter pulled out Hermione's chair and she seated herself with a soft "Thank-you." She turned and looked at Draco, who was busy ordering a wine.  
  
'He's not that bad. He's not a prick anymore.' Hermione thought to herself as she watched him talking quietly with the waiter. 'Or maybe that's just because he's in love with me.'  
  
Draco turned and saw Hermione looking at him curiously. "What?"  
  
Hermione snapped out of her thoughts and realised that Draco was now looking at her with a smile playing on his lips. "Sorry?"  
  
"I turned around and you were looking at me strangely."  
  
"Are you calling me strange?"  
  
"No. I was- oh never mind."  
  
"What?" Hermione asked innocently, while attempting to cover the smile that broke out on her face.  
  
"You set that one up." Draco accused narrowing his eyes.  
  
Hermione's smile widened and she nodded. "I wanted to know what your reaction would be."  
  
Draco smiled. "That's not fair."  
  
"So? You weren't being fair when you insisted on making me come tonight."  
  
"Well if you want to go.?"  
  
"No." Hermione said, smiling faintly. "I'll stay so that I can have a story to tell."  
  
Draco frowned at this, but he then covered it up with a huge smile. He knew that she wouldn't have come if she really didn't want to. Draco stood up and walked around the table and held out his hand. Hermione looked up at him questioningly.  
  
"Come on, you didn't dress like that just to sit and stare at others dancing." Draco waggled his fingers slightly and Hermione gingerly took his hand. Draco pulled her up from her seat and led her to the open space where people were dancing.  
  
He wrapped his arms around her waist and Hermione placed her arms around his neck. For a while they danced silently, until Draco broke the silence.  
  
"Do you think that people only have one sole-mate in life?"  
  
Hermione lifted her head from where it was resting on his chest and looked him in the eye. "That depends on how lucky you are."  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning, if you're a lucky person there will be one other person for you and you will find them. But if you're not lucky, you may find someone who you believe is the one when actually they aren't, then you would go through life never finding your real soul-mate."  
  
Draco raised his eyebrow. "That was quick."  
  
"What was quick?"  
  
"Your answer. I expected you to be unsure or something."  
  
Hermione looked away for a moment before saying, "Someone has already asked me, at that time I didn't know but afterwards I thought about it."  
  
"Who asked you?" Draco asked before he could stop himself. Hermione didn't get angry and defensive, quite on the contrary, she smiled and replied.  
  
"Ron. When he was braking up with me last year."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For bringing old sorrows into your mind."  
  
Hermione shook her head and said carefully, "I'm not upset about it. anymore. I got over him with the help of someone else."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Ah, now that would be telling." Hermione smiled innocently. Draco nodded.  
  
"I know it would be."  
  
"In other words, I'm not telling."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"You never know." Hermione smiled at his expression.  
  
"So it was me!"  
  
"I never said that." Hermione said quickly. Draco smiled wisely.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Hermione narrowed her eyes at his fast resignation. Hermione accused him. "You don't believe me."  
  
"Not particularly. But I don't want to start an argument with you."  
  
"It wouldn't be an argument, it would be a debate."  
  
"Right."  
  
"For all you know it might have been Ginny." Hermione said. Draco pulled a face. "Or Harry."  
  
Draco's eyes turned hard. Hermione decided to put his mind at ease by saying, "Don't worry, he married Ginny two years ago."  
  
"And broke your heart?"  
  
"No. I've never felt anything for Harry, other than friendship and closeness like between a brother and sister." Hermione replied staring him straight in the eye, so he knew she wasn't lying.  
  
"OK. So who was it?"  
  
"Who was what?"  
  
"The person that helped you get over Weasley. The person who we are debating about." Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"I thought I told you I wasn't going to tell you."  
  
"You did. But you also told me that you would never go on a date with me. but by the looks of it."  
  
"Stop it."  
  
"I'm not doing anything, Hermione."  
  
"Don't."  
  
"Don't what?"  
  
"I give up." Hermione said and broke apart from Draco and walked away to their table. She sat down and picked up a menu and ignored Draco as he sat down across from her smiling mysteriously.  
  
Hermione didn't say anything to him and she didn't even look at him when she gave the waiter her order. When she was done, she looked away from both the waiter and Draco. She wasn't annoyed at him, she was testing him again.  
  
Draco gave the waiter his order and turned back to Hermione. She was carefully yet obviously avoiding his gaze and ignoring him, he smiled again and started humming absently as he watched her.  
  
Hermione was well aware of his unfaltering gaze on her and it made her uneasy, she wasn't expecting her just to sit there unfazed by her 'anger.' She thought he would try and make her talk to him and apologize for making her upset.  
  
After about five minutes Hermione turned to look him in the eye, he was still looking at her with a steady gaze. "So you were just going to sit there, waiting for me to crack?"  
  
"It worked."  
  
"Yes, but only because I was never angry with you in the first place."  
  
"I knew that. That's why I didn't apologize, because I didn't do anything."  
  
"Now you have."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You've outsmarted me."  
  
Draco shook his head. "No I didn't. You were testing me."  
  
"Yes, and that backfired because you knew I was. So you outsmarted me."  
  
"Hermione, I don't think many people can honestly say they have outsmarted you."  
  
"But you can."  
  
Draco stopped himself before he replied and watched Hermione for a moment. "Did you know that Pansy Parkinson married Victor Krum?"  
  
"Really?" Hermione thought that this might have been one of his tricks to make her talk to him without arguing, and she was all for it. "When, and why?  
  
"Supposedly because they are in love but. I think there might be other motives for both of them." Draco replied. "Pansy's money crazy and I think that Krum is fame crazy."  
  
Hermione giggled at the thought of the ugly pair. "They're a perfect match then."  
  
"I know of another perfect match."  
  
"Draco-"  
  
"Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley."  
  
"Oh, yeah that's true." Hermione said quickly. "You should see them together, they are perfect."  
  
Draco stifled a laugh, he knew what she thought he was going to say but he decided not to say anything about it. "They married in Bulgaria last summer."  
  
"Stylish." Hermione said smirking.  
  
"That didn't sound honest."  
  
"It wasn't."  
  
"You wouldn't want to get married in summer, or in Bulgaria?" Draco asked.  
  
"Either."  
  
"Where and when would you want to get married?"  
  
Hermione smiled and said softly, "I would want to get married in spring, outdoors in twilight. with fairy lights all around."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"London, my home town."  
  
There was a silence at the table. Hermione was in wonderland, thinking about her dream marriage. Draco was also imagining Hermione's perfect wedding, wondering.  
  
***  
  
At the end of their dinner Draco insisted that it was not safe for Hermione to walk home alone at such an hour even though she lived a block away, so there they were, walking peacefully along the path under the dim light of the street lamps.  
  
Hermione fought furiously with her conscience as they walked in silence. She didn't want to admit that she enjoyed the night because she had rejected him for so long, she didn't want to cope with his gloating and smugness.  
  
Hermione wondered whether he would believe her if she said that she didn't. 'Probably not, he always sees through lies.'  
  
Draco's thoughts were slightly different, he knew that she had had fun that evening but he also knew that she wouldn't admit it easily, especially to him. He tried to think of someway to make her confess that she did have fun.  
  
When they reached Hermione's house, they stopped and Hermione turned to Draco. "Thank-you."  
  
"For?"  
  
"For dinner and for walking me home."  
  
"Your welcome." Draco smiled. "Did you have fun tonight?"  
  
Hermione frowned ever so slightly. "It was alright."  
  
"Don't lie."  
  
"I'm not-" Draco didn't let her finish. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him, he kissed her softly.  
  
Hermione stood in shock for a moment before moving impulsively and wrapped her arms around his neck. When they broke apart Hermione quickly took her arms away from his neck and he let her take a step back. He knew that she had to think about what had just happened, but he knew that she wouldn't reject him again.  
  
Hermione took a deep breath and hoped that she could lie successfully, "I don't want you to do that again. Ever."  
  
"Why are you refusing me, when you don't want to?"  
  
"Don't say that, you don't know what I want."  
  
"Yes I do." Draco said and he gathered her into his arms again and kissed her a second time. Hermione finally gave in and she placed her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.  
  
This time when they broke apart Hermione didn't step away, she looked him in the eye and whispered. "I lied. I had a wonderful night."  
  
***  
  
OK, now that you've read it you know what you have to do. REVIEW. please. 


	4. Hold me close

Another one out in the world of fanfiction. I hope you like it, if not. oh well, you can't suit everybody's taste.  
  
Hold me close.  
  
Hermione checked five times. You can't get any more certain what she was. She didn't really believe that it was possible, but there she was. Pregnant.  
  
She knew that if it were really happening, then she would have to tell the father. They had been seeing each other for about half the year but now. they had a bit of an argument and they weren't together anymore.  
  
Hermione curled up on the toilet with the lid closed and cried. She didn't know how to tell him. They hadn't exactly been public when they were together, they had kept up the charade of their old association to fool people into believing that they still hated each other.  
  
The normal Hermione Granger versus Draco Malfoy kind of spats between them were only pretend, a game that amused them when they were alone.  
  
Hermione wiped her tears away and tried to think rationally. There was no way that she was going to give the child up, she had already given Draco up and that was hard enough.  
  
There was a loud knock on the door of the bathroom. "Hermione! Please get out here! I really need the toilet and you've been in there for a hour."  
  
Hermione stood up and quickly check her appearance in the mirror, she didn't want her friends to know anything was wrong.  
  
She opened the door only to be pushed aside by Lavender and have the door closed immediately behind her. "Thanks Hermione."  
  
"No problem." Hermione mumbled and walked over to her bed. She drew the curtains around her four-poster and lay down.  
  
She would have to tell him, let him know what had happened and that she was keeping the baby no matter what people thought of her. Hermione started devising ways of getting him in private to talk to him. But she knew that none of the ways she used to use would work now, because he wouldn't come willingly anymore.  
  
Hermione woke up some time that night by a sharp prodding in her ribs. She opened her eyes to find Lavender standing over her with a worried expression on her face.  
  
"You've been mumbling in your sleep, Hermione." Lavender whispered softly, Hermione bit her lip.  
  
"Anything coherent?"  
  
"No. Just weird muttering and- oh wait! You were cursing a lot, that's all I heard."  
  
"Oops. Must have had a bad dream." Hermione whispered. She was relieved that Lavender hadn't understood what she had been saying, because she had been dreaming of Draco and her own breakup.  
  
"Night, Hermione."  
  
"Night, Lav."  
  
`*`  
  
Hermione opened her eyes and sighed. She knew that it was still early and because it was a Saturday, not many people would be awake yet.  
  
Hermione slipped out of bed and quickly got ready for the day before leaving her dorm and heading for the Owlery. When she arrived, she quietly walked over to the sill of one of the many windows and started writing a note to Draco.  
  
She read the note and frowned. She ripped it up and started it again, but no sooner had she placed her quill on the parchment did the door of the Owlery open.  
  
Hermione turned around to see who had entered and she froze. Draco was standing not four meters away from her with an odd expression on his face. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"What do you think?" Hermione snapped, fighting back tears. "Writing a letter, why else would I be in the Owlery?"  
  
Draco sneered at her and turned away. He walked over to his own owl and attached a letter to its leg. As the owl flew off Draco started for the door. Hermione knew that she wouldn't get a better opportunity than the one before her and she called out, "Wait! Draco, I have to tell you something."  
  
Draco stopped walking and slowly turned around. When his icy gaze fell on Hermione, she felt a lump appear in her throat. She let out a soft sob before saying, "Do you remember Halloween night?"  
  
Draco paused for a second before his eyes widened. He stood in shock for a moment before asking hesitantly, "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes." Hermione choked back another sob and tore her eyes away from his intent gaze. "I checked about five bloody times."  
  
"Shit." Draco hissed and looked away. Hermione risked a glance at him and saw him facing the windows of the Owlery. That was all the convenience she needed to run out of the Owlery.  
  
She ran straight down the corridor and she sped down three flights of stairs until she reached the Entrance Hall. She threw open the great oak doors and bolted out into the Forbidden Forest.  
  
Hermione stopped running when she reached her favorite tree. Over the years she had come into the forest more and more because of its peace and tranquility. She sat down and pulled her legs up to her chest and cried.  
  
"Are you going to keep it?" Hermione almost jumped a mile at the sound of his voice so close by. Hermione looked up and saw Draco standing in front of her.  
  
"Yes. I could never get rid of something from-" Hermione stopped herself short. She wasn't going to finish that sentence, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she still loved him.  
  
Draco stopped himself from smirking at her comment. He knew what she was going to say, but he also knew that it wasn't the time for any sarcasm. They had gotten into a mess that they hadn't intended at all, now there was no way of redemption.  
  
"Hermione, you can't be-" Draco started, but Hermione interrupted him.  
  
"I'm keeping it, Draco." Hermione said angrily. "School finishes next week. I will find a way to look after it by myself-"  
  
"No you won't." Draco interrupted her.  
  
"Fine, maybe my parents will help a bit but-"  
  
"Hermione. You can be really thick sometimes." Draco said softly. He walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. "I'm not going to let you raise my child alone."  
  
Hermione felt as if the world around her stopped and the only things that were still moving were Draco and herself. "W- what do you mean?"  
  
"I mean," Draco cupped Hermione's face gently in between his hands. "That I'm going to help you raise our child. And I don't mean child support."  
  
Hermione would have smiled if she could. "Really?"  
  
"Yes really. I think that this might just be a miracle for us, you know." Draco said. Hermione looked at him quizzically so he continued, "We were both too stubborn to apologize for something that shouldn't end a relationship as strong as ours was, so we-"  
  
"I understand what you mean, Draco." Hermione said softly. Draco smiled at her and he leaned in to kissed her softly.  
  
"We are going to have a child and we are only eighteen." Draco said in wonder.  
  
Hermione shook her head and corrected him, "No. We are going to have a child with a full life ahead of us."  
  
"Hermione Granger, the optimist." Draco stated to an invisible crowd. Hermione laughed and smiled for the first time that day. "Do you want some breakfast?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "I suppose I should have some, shouldn't I?"  
  
"Well yes. But I'm just really hungry that's all."  
  
Hermione laughed at him and let him help her up. As they began walking back to the castle Draco looked at Hermione sideways. "How many people do think I'm going to have to hex?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"After this we can't very well pretend to hate each other still." Draco explained. "Not many enemies have children together, unless they want the baby to implode."  
  
"Draco! I don't like the image you just gave me." Hermione scolded him, shuddering. Draco laughed and wrapped his arm around her waist.  
  
"Oops." Draco lied, Hermione rolled her eyes and hit him on the shoulder. Draco kissed her fondly on the forehead and whispered, "Don't worry, nothing bad is going to happen to you. Not while I'm around."  
  
***  
  
I hope it was alright. I'm kind of anxious for the outcome of this one so please tell me what you think. 


	5. OtherWorld

I warn you that this is a little blasé and uninformative, but I hope you like it anyway.

**OtherWorld**

People shuffled their feet, trying not to make any noise as they peered through the glass windows of the locked doors. There was a mass of them, all taking it in turns to see what was happening inside.

When she approached, the people at the back of the crowd noticed her and immediately moved out of the way. Her presence was made known to everyone in the crowd rapidly, and very soon all had moved to the walls to let her pass without disruption.

Her eyes were downcast, but they could all see her mouth moving to form silent incantations as she passed them. Her robe billowed mutely behind her and when she approached the doors, they opened, without assistance or Alahamora to unlock them.

A few people in the crowd gasped, at her wandless magic, but they were suppressed immediately. She entered the room and the doors swung shut behind her, and locked themselves again.

The chamber inside was dimly lit, and there were only a handful of people there. Madam Pomfrey was standing by the bed, wringing her hands together, hating her idleness. Harry Potter sat in an armchair looking quite pale and preoccupied, and didn't notice her arrival.

Minister Weasley was standing off to the side of the room, his cheeks wet and his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He looked relieved when he saw her enter, but made not a sound. It was Professor McGonagall who spoke first, in a low and mournful tone, "Thank you for coming, Hermione."

Hermione inclined her head gravely but said nothing. Harry started out of his trance at the sound of her name, and turned slowly to see her standing beside him. His face was grimly set, but he managed a nod in acknowledgement, suppressing his feelings as well as he could.

Madam Pomfrey also said nothing to Hermione, but she beckoned her over to other side of the bed. Hermione walked around the edge of the bed and knelt silently down beside it. She was yet to make any sound at all, but she reached out a hand and gently took the man's hand in hers. She had not stopped forming her silent incantations since she was first summoned, but stopped abruptly now.

"He has been hit by the _Terreur_ curse." Madam Pomfrey said softly. "There is nothing that we can do. I only hoped that you might be able to do something, his father asked for you personally…"

Madam Pomfrey looked over to where Minister Weasley stood. He brushed his tears away. "If anyone can do it, I thought you might."

Hermione nodded, and released Ron's hand. It had been a long time… She looked up at Harry, who only averted his eyes painfully. Hermione breathed in and started up her incantation yet again. She took both of Ron's hands in her own and squeezed them tightly. Everyone in the room watched in awe and fear as she performed her OtherWorld craft on him.

Hermione's eyes were closed and her face was slowly but surely draining of colour, for the _Terreur_ curse was hard to cure even for someone of her capability. It had, after all, been brought to Earth from the OtherWorld.

Hermione's body sagged and she was leaning heavily on the bed, but she would not give up, her incantations continued and she was pushing herself beyond exhaustion. This sort of rescue could kill a Wizard if they did it alone, but Hermione paid no heed to that, she had already surpassed all that a normal Wizard or Witch could do. Though, she was not a normal Witch… anymore…

Suddenly, her eyes opened and her incantations ceased. "Draco," She breathed intensely. "I need you here…"

Her body slumped and her normally silent breathing was ragged and erratic. Professor McGonagall stared disbelievingly at her exhausted body. "That's it, their both gone."

"No." Harry said softly. Everybody was shocked, for that was the first time he had spoken since he had arrived. He continued grimly. "She called for _him_, all is not over yet."

"But why would he come? He has not returned since they left." Minister Weasley asked feebly.

"Neither had she. But she came back." Harry replied, looking Arthur straight in the eye. "Five years ago she left, and only now did she return."

"But that's because she was sent for."

"She was sent for two years ago and never came!" Harry yelled, suddenly all his pent up feelings released. "Dumbledore had more of a chance then Ron does, but she didn't return for him! Now he is gone, just as Ron is!"

"OtherWorlders do things in mysterious way, Harry."

"She isn't an OtherWorlder." Harry stated, indignantly.

"She is." Professor McGonagall said softly. "They called for her, and she went away. So did he."

"_He_ has nothing to do with this." Harry cried. "It's _his_ fault she left."

"No." Came a soft voice from the doorway. Molly Weasley stood faintly, "She left by her own right. He didn't sway her choice."

Harry stared disbelievingly at the transparent figure by the door. For years they had thought that Molly had taken the other path, not become a ghost. But she didn't, obviously she had just hid herself from them. "Molly?"

"Yes, I had to come." Molly glided across the floor and stood by her unsurprised husband- obviously, he had been the only one that knew.

Harry turned back to see Hermione's head lifted weakly, staring right passed him to the locked door. "He comes…"

That moment, the doors to the Wing opened and a silent figure walked in, much like Hermione had. He saw Hermione in her present state and walked over and knelt beside her. "He's almost back… but I just can't do it alone…"

"Hush…" Came a soft word from Draco, he reached across and took her hands in his. "Too many words."

Hermione nodded and smiled weakly, and Draco released one of her hands and took up one of Ron's. Hermione took up Ron's other hand with her free one and then they both started the silent incantations.

Harry sat staring stony faced at his best friend. He had already lost Hermione to something further away then death and he couldn't bear the loss of Ron.

After what seemed like hours, the two OtherWorlders stopped their incantations and slumped against the bed. Hermione looked up at Harry and whispered, "He's back, weak and confused, but he's back."

Harry nodded and looked away from her, pain still written on his face. Hermione sadly looked to Draco, who stood up and held an impassive look on his face. She knew what he was thinking, that they had to get back to the OtherWorld, and she agreed, but she didn't want to leave on the same terms as she did five years ago.

Hermione stood and touched Draco's cheek for a moment, before walking over to Harry and kneeling down in front of him, forcing him to look at her. "Don't be like this. You know…"

"Know what?" Harry said softly with anger in his voice. "I know that you left five years ago, giving us little but an hours warning of your departure to the _OtherWorld_."

Harry said the last word with clear contempt. "Better yet, you were going with _him_."

Hermione waited a moment before replying softly. "You know our ways." When Hermione said 'our' Harry cringed, as if struck by an invisible blow. "They called to us, not to take us away from our loved ones, but to give us their knowledge and love. So we can live with them in peace and tranquility, they saw something different in us, something most Wizards don't hold."

"How modest." Harry said sarcastically.

Hermione lowered her gaze. "I want you to listen to this, and tell Ron too. I love you both more than anything on Earth, but my place is not here, it's there."

Harry now had tears running down his cheeks, but he didn't wipe them away. Hermione saw this and whispered, "I would have come back, three years ago. I almost did, but now I will never return. I can't."

"Why not?" Harry sobbed. "What do you have there, that you don't have here?"

Hermione took a moment before answering. "A daughter."

Harry stared at her, then he whispered fearfully. "Is it his?"

"Yes." Hermione answered, without shame. "Her name is Lily."

Harry's eye filled with fresh tears and he leaned forward and embraced Hermione fiercely. "Promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Don't forget us." Harry said.

Hermione smiled and stood up. "Never, Harry. I wouldn't dream of it." She kissed him on the cheek and walked over to where Draco was silently waiting. He took her hand in his and Hermione smiled at Harry before the two OtherWorlders turned and walked out of the Wing silently, back to their life in the OtherWorld, back to their Lily, back to their way.

I don't know how long it'll be before I write another chapter, but this is all very random and abstract… see you when I see you.


End file.
